The European Union holds a significant position in the struggle against joblessness.
In a historic turn of events, an unprecedented protest took place on Thursday, September 18, gathering approximately 500,000 people according to the Ministry of the Interior, with the CGT claiming over a million. This mass demonstration, led by eight trade union organizations, was a clear call for a "budget of fiscal, social, and ecological justice".
The protest was directed at the draft budget for 2026 outlined by François Bayrou, which is considered outdated. The business community has been urged to moderate its intransigence regarding the pension reform, a source of social tension since 2023. The failure of the "conclave" on pensions, in which the MEDEF bears some responsibility, is significant.
The success of the protest makes the eight trade union organizations indispensable interlocutors for the new head of the government, Sébastien Lecornu. He has succeeded François Bayrou after Bayrou's government was ousted by a vote of no confidence. Lecornu has committed to "continue the dialogue" with the unions, but faces a complex challenge: appeasing union discontent while convincing the Socialist Party, without alienating the right and the MEDEF.
The latent anger in the country demands a political response, exacerbated by the feeling that the system is not addressing daily realities. For years, unions have been sidelined by the executive, but are now capable of playing a role in the crisis. The inability of the three blocs that dominate the National Assembly to find a majority on measures capable of reducing the deficit strengthens the potential weight of social partners in a crisis exit.
Advances are expected, particularly in tax matters, to correct the anomaly that makes the wealthiest proportionally less heavily taxed than more modest taxpayers. The ability of Mr. Lecornu to solve this complex equation will determine his chances of getting a 2026 budget passed, getting France out of its paralysis, and avoiding the worsening of the political crisis that would only benefit the far right.
The goal of the protest was to denounce the injustices contained in the draft budget. The negotiations will need to be sharp and more tangible measures will be required to respond to the demand for a budget that ensures fiscal, social, and ecological justice. The protest was the second warning given to Sébastien Lecornu, who has not yet formed his government or given his main budgetary orientations. The unions, united since the protest against the pension reform in 2023, are ready to play their part in shaping France's future.
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